Chatari Jones: 'Thank you so much for bullying me'

The 12-year-old Sanford girl who was bullied on a Seminole County school bus thanked her tormentors this morning for giving her an opportunity to defend others.

October 5, 2010|By Walter Pacheco, Orlando Sentinel

The disabled Sanford girl who was bullied on a Seminole County school bus turned the tables on her tormentors Tuesday by thanking them for empowering her to defend other disabled children.

"Thank you so much for bullying me because it taught me a lesson about disabled kids," Chatari Jones said. The 12-year-old suffers from cerebral palsy.

Her father said Chatari's ordeal at the hands of bullies who spit in her hair and called her names, often sparked by her disability, has given her the courage to speak nationally and publically about the taunts children under similar circumstances suffer at school.

"We are trying to turn around what happened on that bus," her father said. "My daughter can now stand up for others."

Cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects communication, posture and other motor skills. Although her parents said she does not show many outward signs of the disorder, it has affected her speech and walk.

James Willie Jones and Deborah McFadden-Jones joined their daughter and attorney Natalie Jackson as they addressed the media Tuesday at their church, Spirit of Truth Ministries in Lake Mary.

Jackson also had a message for the bullies accused of tormenting Chatari: "Hopefully, the bullies can learn something from this and come forward."

Julie Hertzog, director of PACER's National Center for Bullying Prevention in Minnesota, also was on hand to express her gratitude to Chatari.

"We have a number of kids with disabilities who are being bullied," Hertzog said. "Hopefully, [Chatari's] courage and bravery will spare others."

Chatari smiled at reporters as she answered questions Tuesday and then gave Jackson a high five before leaving the church.

Her demeanor was in sharp contrast to Monday's nationally televised interview on NBC's Today Show where she cried as she recalled the school-bus incident.

The family has been holding new conferences in hopes of drawing attention to the problems of bullying. October is National Bullying Prevention Month.

A security video shot from inside a Seminole County school bus in September catapulted James Jones into the media spotlight because it showed him boarding the bus at a stop and threatening students for allegedly bullying his daughter.

Seminole County Sheriff's Office deputies a few days later arrested Jones on charges of disorderly conduct and disturbing a school function.

He faces misdemeanor charges and is out on bond.

Jones apologized for his violent reaction on national television, as well as during a September press conference at the family's church. He said he did not want parents to act out as he had done, especially when children are concerned.